Plant labeling device



Jan. 9, 1940.

G. w. PAITEN PLANT LABELING nmvxcm Filed- Jung 9. 1939 Aur-a'bum Lllwm Date.

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play plant labels within a glass tube, usually in p Patented Jan. 9, 1940 I UNI-TED! rATENr ore-ice i 2,186,428 I g PLANT LABELING DEvI'cE H George Patten, MinneapolisrMinn. Application June 9, 1939, Serial No. 278,269

2 Claims.-

greenhouses, adjacent plants or rows of plants to name such specific plant or plants.

It is an object of my invention to provide a labeling device which contains a chamber with transparent walls in which is a'slip having written, typed, or printed thereon thename' of a specific plant, together with any other data which may be desirable to associate with the name.

To this end it is a principal object of'my invention toprovide a section of ordinary glass tubenormally open at each end, to close the ends of the tubing with suitable closure members which may be of rubber, cork, or the like, but preferably will be of rubber, to perforate centrally onelof said closures and form a central inner seat on the other closure, and to force 1 through the perforated closure astem member of a diameter slightly larger than the perforation, so that the end thereofwill engage the central seat in the other closure member, thus providing a central reinforcing member for the entire length of tubing. The label will be coiled inside the glass tube, with the writing thereon turned outwardly surrounding and being adjustable in position by the stem before its end is seated in the central seating depression 'of the unperforated closure. I

I am aware that it has been proposed to disthe form of a test tube having a sealed glass end. All forms of such arrangement, of which I have knowledge, are too expensive to manufacture and impractical to apply. So far as I know, the organization of elements by which I accomplish the objects above stated is not only novel, but is the first such organization to produce a practical label containing tube structure which is strong enough to resist strains, which can be I made cheaply enough to make it available for use, and

' description thereof and the novel features which.

produce the aforesaid desirable results will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing illustrating an application of my invention inone form: g

Fig. 1 shows an elevation view of the labeling device as the same would appear when held in the ground. j I

Fig. 2 is aview'of the'device similar to Fig; 1 with'the label and label holding members-in lon-.

gitudinal section; I

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the centrally perforated closure member. F'ig. 4-is a sectional view of the closure-member havinga eentralseat. I

Fig. Eris a planview of a suitable label for insertion-within the tube. N Fig. 6 isa view similar to Fig. 2 showing the thinner tube which may be employed when made of Cellophane or the like} i As shown, a section of glass tubing N] is provided. This may be formed from ordinary inexpensive glass tubing cut to suitable length, and while I prefer. ordinary glass tubing as above noted, since that may be obtained at a reasonable cost, I am not limitingmyself to glass tubing', as any transparent substance, such as Cellophane or other tubing made from plastic materials, is within the scope of my invention.

A closure member H isprovided for one end as at I2, of the tube 19; This closure member I will preferably be of rubber, although I am, not limiting myself to any particular type of material. It'will be 'of a sizeso that when forced into the open end l2 of the-tube if), it will effect a sub- "stantially permanent seal of thatend. The closure member H is provided with a depression or seat l3, as clearly shown in Fig.-ll. e

For the other end of the tube H a closure mernber M of the general character shown-in Fig. 3 is provided. Preferably, this closure member will have a large cavity or bore 15 extending partly through its body along the center line thereof and a somewhat smaller bore i6 which'goes to the outside. A stern. H has a somewhat conical or pointed end RE which is adapted to be forced through the bore it when the closure it is in position on the end of the tube It, as in Fig. 2, and this conical end I8 wlllbe placed within the seat E3 of the closure H, as shown in Fig. 2. In this position the stemi'l will have a portion l9 extending through the center of tube l0 which is effectively anchored in the closures II and I4 '50.

will hold the tube rigidly in alinement with the 55 stem l! and will prevent oscillation of the tube upon the closure M, which might set up strains which would either break'the end of the tube, as at it, or would cause the closure [4 to be partially or wholly withdrawntherefrom.

Labels Zl may have displayed thereon by writing, typing, or printing, the names of plants, dates when seed to produce the plants is planted, Where obtained, or other matter carrying desired information. This label 2| will be of a length and breadth such that when it is rolled, it will fit into the tube ID with its written, typed or printed matter exposed outwardly against the inner surface of tube ID to be easily read.

It is desirable to provide a lip 22 on closure I4 to insure that the closure will not be forced into the tube In when the stem I1 is being pushed through it into position, although I do not wish to limit myself for all purposes to a closure I4 having a lip such as lip 22.

While glass tubing is satisfactory for the outer transparent enclosing member ID, under certain conditions it may be advantageous to employ a tube of composition material, as for example,

Cellophane. Such a tube is shown at 25 in Fig. 6, and except for the change of material, will cooperate with'the other elementsin the same manner as the glass tubing.

The advantages of my invention have been given quite fully in connection with the detailed description thereof. The primary advantage is that a label holding member is provided which is adapted to be inserted in the ground, either outdoors or in greenhouses, and in beds, pots and the like, or adjacent single plants or at the ends of rows of plants, which will contain names and other data providing desired information, which is sufliciently inexpensive so that it is practically available for general use, and which is so held by the relation of the stem to the closures that the label holding tubular member cannot be displaced on the stem and under all practical conditions cannot be broken.

I claim:

1. A label-holding device for plants comprising a transparent open-ended tube for receiving a label and exposing the matter thereon to View, closures for the ends of the tube, one of said closures being removable to permit insertion of the 1abel, and a stem passing through one of said closures and having its end entering the body of the other closure to hold the tube in rigid unchangeable relation to the stem,'said stem adapted to be thrust into the ground to hold the label positioned for convenient inspection.

2. A label-holding device for plants comprising a transparent open-ended tube for receiving a label and exposing the matter thereon to view,

a fixed closure at one end of the tube provided with a central seat, a removable closure for the other end of the tube provided with a central bore, and a metallic stem extending through the bore of said removable closure and having a conical end engageable in the seat of the fixed closure tohold the tube in rigid unchangeable relation to the stem, said stem adapted to be thrust into the ground to hold the label positioned for convenient inspection.

GEORGE W. PAT'IEN. 

